Collimator, in particular for a computed tomograph, and method for producing it

Abstract

A collimator is disclosed. The ends of collimator plates are potted with the aid of a top plate and a bottom plate with the formation of interspaces, defined by spacings, between the collimator plates. When producing such a collimator, the top and bottom plates are produced using a casting method, and the collimator plates are simultaneously cast in, in order to fix them in the bottom and top plates. For this production method, a reusable holding apparatus that holds the collimator plates, and a casting mold are provided for aligning and positioning purposes.

1. A collimator; comprising:
 collimator plates, aligned with an X-ray source located outside the collimator and fixed to a bottom plate and a top plate with a formation of interspaces defined by spacings, the bottom plate and the top plate being cast potted with at least one of lower ends and upper ends of the collimator plates to form a retaining receptacle. 
 
   
   
     2. The collimator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bottom plate and the top plate are substantially arranged transverse to the aligned collimator plates. 
   
   
     3. The collimator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the bottom plate and the top plate include a material largely transparent to X-rays. 
   
   
     4. The collimator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the bottom plate and the top plate include plastic. 
   
   
     5. The collimator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the bottom plate and the top plate include aluminum. 
   
   
     6. The collimator of  claim 1 , formed by a method comprising:
 inserting the collimator plates into corresponding slots of a prepositioning holding apparatus that aligns the collimator plates relative to the X-ray source, unpotted spaces being provided that remain in a region of the lower and upper ends of the collimator plates and correspond to the bottom and top plates respectively, the interspaces defined by spacings otherwise being filled up by the holding apparatus; 
 using a casting mold to accommodate and enclose the holding apparatus with the collimator plates held therein; 
 filling the enclosing casting mold; and 
 opening the casting mold and separating the collimator from the holding apparatus. 
 
   
   
     7. A collimator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the collimator is for a computed tomograph. 
   
   
     8. A computed tomograph including the collimator of  claim 1 . 
   
   
     9. The collimator as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the bottom plate and the top plate include a material largely transparent to X-rays. 
   
   
     10. The collimator as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the bottom plate and the top plate include plastic. 
   
   
     11. The collimator as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the bottom plate and the top plate include aluminum. 
   
   
     12. The collimator of  claim 2 , formed by a method comprising:
 inserting the collimator plates into corresponding slots of a prepositioning holding apparatus that aligns the collimator plates relative to the X-ray source, unpotted spaces being provided that remain in the region of the lower and upper ends of the collimator plates and correspond to the bottom and top plates respectively, the interspaces defined by spacings otherwise being filled up by the holding apparatus; 
 using a casting mold to accommodate and enclose the holding apparatus with the collimator plates held therein; 
 filling the enclosing casting mold; and 
 opening the casting mold and separating the collimator from the holding apparatus. 
 
   
   
     13. A method for producing a collimator, comprising:
 inserting collimator plates into corresponding slots of a prepositioning holding apparatus that aligns the collimator plates in their orientation with an X-ray source, unpotted spaces being provided that remain in the region of lower and upper ends of the collimator plates and correspond to bottom and top plates respectively, the interspaces defined by spacings otherwise being filled up by the holding apparatus; 
 using a casting mold to accommodate and enclose the holding apparatus with the collimator plates held therein; 
 filling the enclosing casting mold; and 
 opening the casting mold and separating the collimator from the holding apparatus. 
 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the holding apparatus has a comb-like design with protruding teeth that establish the interspaces, defined by the spacings and delimit the slots. 
   
   
     15. A holding apparatus for forming a collimator, comprising:
 a comb-like design with protruding teeth that establish interspaces, defined by spacings, for collimator plates of the collimator, and delimit slots configured to receive the collimator plates, 
 wherein the holding apparatus holds the collimator plates, which are cast potted to at least one of a bottom plate and a top plate of the collimator. 
 
   
   
     16. The holding apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the teeth of the holding apparatus are connected on one side by a holding plate. 
   
   
     17. The holding apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the holding plate is a rear wall part of a casting mold. 
   
   
     18. A casting mold for forming a collimator, comprising:
 a rear casting mold wall part configured to support a holding apparatus, which delimits slots configured to receive collimator plates of the collimator; 
 a bottom casting mold part configured to enclose lower ends of the collimator plates; and 
 a top casting mold part configured to enclose upper ends of the collimator plates, 
 wherein the collimator plates are finely positionable in the slots and unpotted spaces remain in regions of the lower ends and upper ends of the collimator plates when the bottom casting mold part and the top casting mold part enclose the collimator plates. 
 
   
   
     19. The casting mold as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein, each of the bottom casting mold part and the top casting mold part include accommodating the collimator plates and creating passage openings for casting material. 
   
   
     20. The casting mold as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a front wall part having at least one filling opening.